1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming method wherein an image is reproduced by driving a liquid crystal shutter array or a liquid crystal shutter matrix by use of a signal carrying the image, and recording the image on a photosensitive material. This invention particularly relates to an image forming method which forms a wide range of half tones.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A novel image forming method is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 57(1982)-160667. In the image forming method, a liquid crystal shutter array or a liquid crystal shutter matrix (hereinafter referred to as a liquid crystal shutter panel) comprising many sets of transparent electrodes is positioned on the surface of a photosensitive material exposed to light. Each liquid crystal shutter portion constituting a picture element of the liquid crystal shutter panel is driven by a signal carrying an image, and the image is reproduced thereby in the liquid crystal shutter panel. The photosensitive material is exposed to light passing imagewise through the liquid crystal shutter panel, thereby recording the image therein. On the other hand, liquid crystal shutter panels which can express gradation have heretofore been used, for example, in liquid crystal televisions. When the liquid crystal shutter panels of this type are used in the aforesaid image forming method, it becomes possible to record a half tone image in a photosensitive material.
However, in the conventional liquid crystal shutter panels which can express gradation, the number of gradation levels which can be expressed is limited to a range of approximately 8 to approximately 16. When the liquid crystal shutter panels are used in the aforesaid image forming method, it is not possible to obtain a smooth image, and the flesh color cannot be expressed sufficiently in the case of a color image.